


Joining the Circle

by Fenchurch87



Series: The Eye of the Storm [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Childhood, Childhood Friends, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 07:35:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15576939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fenchurch87/pseuds/Fenchurch87
Summary: Evie Trevelyan arrives at the Ostwick Circle of Magi and makes a new friend. Originally written in response to a writing prompt on /r/dragonage.





	Joining the Circle

**Author's Note:**

> Nela is the younger sister of Solona Amell, my Warden.

“The apprentice quarters are here,” Renna explained in her flat, lifeless voice. “The boys' dormitory is on the left, and the girls' is on the right. Come with me.”

Evie followed Renna through the door on the right, trying not to trip over her new robes and clutching Ser Tedsworth tightly. They entered a room so full of bunk beds that there was barely enough space to walk through it. Renna led the way to a far corner of the room and gestured towards a bottom bunk.

“This is your bed. You can keep your things in here,” she said, tapping a small chest of drawers that stood nearby. “Dinner is in one hour, and a bell will summon you to the dining hall. Until then, you may stay here. If you need anything, you can ask me.”

“Thank you.” She breathed a small sigh of relief as Renna left the room. The woman's empty smile and dead-eyed stare were a little frightening. She sat on the bed and held Ser Tedsworth in her lap. He was the one thing she had been allowed to keep. She had watched them burn her old clothes shortly after she arrived. It was an important ritual, the First Enchanter had explained. It was to help her let go of Evelyn Trevelyan the Bann's daughter and prepare her for her new life as Evelyn Trevelyan the Circle mage.

“Duck!” shouted a voice.

“What?” The sound made her jump; she had thought the room was empty. But there was no time to investigate further before something soft hit her in the face. “Oof!”

“Whoops!” said the voice. “Sorry about that.” She heard a stifled giggle. “But I told you to duck! It's not my fault you didn't listen!”

The speaker's laughter was infectious, and before she knew it, Evie was giggling too. She looked up to see a pretty girl around her own age walking towards her. She had very large dark eyes and long brown hair, loosely woven into thin braids.

“Sorry again.” The strange girl sat next to her on the bed. “You looked so sad, so I thought I'd see if you wanted to hold Anna-Bella for a bit.” She reached down and picked up a slightly ragged cloth doll. “Here you go. I wanted her to land in your lap, but I can't throw very well.”

Evie took the doll and smiled. “Thank you. She's lovely.”

“So is your teddy bear. Can I see him?”

“Of course.” She handed the bear to her new friend. “His name is Ser Tedsworth. He belonged to my brother, but he gave him to me just before I had to leave home.”

“Your brother sounds kind.”

“He is.” She remembered sitting in her bedroom with Lianna and Rickard, Lianna sobbing, and Rickard desperately trying not to cry, because Father said boys weren't allowed to cry. She began to feel the sting of tears at the corners of her eyes.

“Don't cry.” The other girl wrapped an arm around her. “You'll get used to it here. Some of the Enchanters are kind, and their lessons are fun. Some of the Templars aren't so bad either, so long as you do what they tell you. I'll help you. I'll tell you who's nice and who's mean. Ser Boris is the nastiest. Everyone hates him and tries to stay away from him.”

“I've already met Ser Boris.” Thinking of the hard-eyed man made her shudder. “He was one of the Templars who brought me here.”

The girl's eyes widened. “That must have been horrible!”

“Ser Martyn was there too, and he was kind. He gave me sweets. And we didn't have to go very far. I already lived in Ostwick.” She eyed the other girl. “Where are you from?”

“Ferelden. Father used to say that I'm really from Kirkwall, because I was born there. But I don't remember it. We left when I was a baby. Ferelden always felt like home to me.” The girl paused and twirled one of her braids around her finger. “I had to come here on a ship. There was a storm, and I was sick all over Ser Simeon's boots. He was furious, but it wasn't my fault so he couldn't do anything to punish me. Besides, he was even sicker than I was.” She paused again and smiled at Evie. “What's your name?”

“Evelyn Trevelyan. But my family always call me–” She stopped herself. “–called me Evie.”

“Nice to meet you, Evie Trevelyan.” The pretty girl held out her hand, and Evie took it. “I'm Nela Amell. And I think we are going to be the best of friends.”

 


End file.
